July 23, 2020
Program Applications Can Be Downloaded in Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Haitian-Creole, Korean, and Bengali.
Rent Relief Program Frequently Asked Questions and Additional Documents Available in Six Languages.
Program Call Center, 1-833-499-0318, Open Monday – Saturday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
COVID Rent Relief Program Online Application
New York State Homes and Community Renewal today announced applications for the COVID Rent Relief Program can now be filled out and submitted online in Spanish. Translated applications are available to download and submit via mail in Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Haitian-Creole, Korean, and Bengali. Applications will be accepted through Thursday, July 30 and the program will not make determinations on a first come, first served basis.
HCR Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, “The COVID Rent Relief Program was created to help address growing concerns over housing insecurity and the economic fallout of this pandemic. Many of our immigrant communities have been especially hard hit and we felt more needed to be done to ensure New Yorkers with limited English proficiency had proper access to the application and program tools. While these steps are helpful, we understand some residents will need additional assistance when applying. Our thanks to the community-based organizations across the State and our partners at the New York State Office for New Americans who have admirably agreed to help us provide language assistance.”
Residents can visit HCR’s website – hcr.ny.gov/RRP – to find the application, contact information for the Rent Relief Program Call Center, a list of Frequently Asked Questions, and more. A section has been added to the program website that provides the application, FAQs and other documents in six different languages, https://hcr.ny.gov/RRP-translations
There is also a list of community-based organizations in each region of the State who are available to assist non-English-speaking residents with their application. The New York State Office for New Americans will also offer assistance.
HCR has created a dedicated call center to provide residents, including those with limited English proficiency, with help Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. Call the
COVID Rent Relief Program Call Center at 1-833-499-0381 or email at [email protected]
Residents may also authorize a caseworker, attorney or other personal representative to apply for the COVID Rent Relief Program on their behalf. The Authorized Representative Release Form is available and can be downloaded from the Rent Relief Program website https://hcr.ny.gov/RRP#application
What is the COVID Rent Relief Program?
The New York State Legislature established this program to help households experiencing an increase in their “rent burden” due to a loss of income during the COVID-19 crisis. Rent burden is the amount of monthly contractual rent that exceeds 30% of gross household income.
The rental assistance subsidy will cover the difference between the household’s rent burden on March 1, 2020 and the increase in rent burden for the period the household is applying for assistance. The awards are limited to cover an increase in rent burden during April, May, June and July, and there is a cap on the total subsidy amount residents can receive.
HCR will prioritize households with “greatest economic and social need” accounting for income, rent burden, percent of income lost and risk of homelessness.
Who is eligible for the COVID Rent Relief Program?
To qualify for COVID Rent Relief Assistance, an applicant must meet ALL of the following eligibility criteria:
Be a renter with a primary residence in New York State.
Before March 1, 2020 and at the time of application, household income must be below 80% Area Median Income (To view AMI by county and household size, visit: https://hcr.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2020/07/crrp2020_eligible_income_80ami.pdf
Families with extremely low income will prioritized.
Income includes unemployment insurance payments/PUA.
Before March 1, 2020 and at the time of application, household must pay more than 30% of gross monthly income for rent.
Applicants have less monthly income in any month between April 2020 and July 2020 than they did prior to March 1, 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The program is open to New Yorkers that rent apartments, single-family homes, manufactured homes, and manufactured home lots.
Tenants with at least one household member with U.S. Citizenship or eligible immigration status are qualified to receive the subsidy.
Residents receiving a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher for housing costs or who reside in public housing where the tenant’s rent should not exceed 30% of their income, are not eligible for RRP assistance.
More detailed information on the Rent Relief Program and the application process is available on the HCR’s website https://hcr.ny.gov/RRP
For Rent Relief Program foreign language documents, visit: https://hcr.ny.gov/RRP#foreign-language-applications---documents
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